Advice: Boston, MA to Sarasota, FL

jacMA

jacMA

Joined
Dec 30, 2022
Messages
37
Age
60
Location
Boston
Bike
2000 ST1100
Hi All,

Planning a trip with a fellow Honda rider from Boston to Sarasota. I've driven it in a car when taking my Dad down to Sarasota twice. Once more inland, once more coastal on rt17. Any recommendations on POI's" I plan on the Blue Ridge Parkway if it has recovered from last year. Driving, we've done the ferry from NJ to DE, done the Bay Bridge Tunnel, etc. but not sure if my traveling buddy has. In short:

- Any suggestions on stops
- Any advice on travel
- Any advice on motorcycle prep. This will be the longest trip I've done. I'm getting new tires for my ST1100, doing coolant, have done Oil, brake fluid, final drive fluid.

Thanks in advance.
 
First question is when do you intend to do your trip?

I grew up in Boston and have a sister in Falmouth so I ride out there a few times a year. If I were leaving Boston I would run the Pike out to Great Barrington then wander through the Catskills to Binghampton NY and pick up 81 south for starters. From there you have the option of I-81 or some really great state roads depending on how much time you have. Western New Jersey and Pennsylvania along the Delaware River is excellent riding. I avoid the area between CT and DC at all costs. It's miserable even when things go well.

If you don't already have one a Fast Lane or Easy Pass whatever they're called now is the only way to go for tolls. I still have my MA account.
 
Donk said:
First question is when do you intend to do your trip?

I grew up in Boston and have a sister in Falmouth so I ride out there a few times a year. If I were leaving Boston I would run the Pike out to Great Barrington then wander through the Catskills to Binghampton NY and pick up 81 south for starters. From there you have the option of I-81 or some really great state roads depending on how much time you have. Western New Jersey and Pennsylvania along the Delaware River is excellent riding. I avoid the area between CT and DC at all costs. It's miserable even when things go well.

If you don't already have one a Fast Lane or Easy Pass whatever they're called now is the only way to go for tolls. I still have my MA account.
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...interesting. I'm in Hopkinton, MA (start of the marathon). I never thought about going west to start. It will be the end of March, beginning of April, so the weather may not be great in the mountains. My time issue is that I need to get my Dad on the Autotrain from FL on April 5th, so my trip starts before then. Will probably throw my bike on the train coming back.
 
Even if you stay on the Interstate west is better. You could run down through Hartford on I-84 then out to Wilkes Barre and down I-81. As long as the roads are dry you'll be fine. Weather is a coin toss if it's going to be better on the coast or inland. A lot of winter/spring rain comes up the coast.
 
Donk said:
Even if you stay on the Interstate west is better. You could run down through Hartford on I-84 then out to Wilkes Barre and down I-81. As long as the roads are dry you'll be fine. Weather is a coin toss if it's going to be better on the coast or inland. A lot of winter/spring rain comes up the coast.
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I've made this trip at least a dozen times - I-84 to I-81 was ALWAYS better than I-95... Having said that 81 hass gotten progressively worse over the years in terms of traffic. You don't say what you're time constraints are. Surely more enjoyable taking non-interstate where you can, but that definitely makes for several days vs. 2 or 3 via interstates.
 
I would be prepared for cold, wet and maybe icy conditions in the NC mountains that time of year. You just never know.
 
SilverSTreak said:
I've made this trip at least a dozen times - I-84 to I-81 was ALWAYS better than I-95... Having said that 81 hass gotten progressively worse over the years in terms of traffic. You don't say what you're time constraints are. Surely more enjoyable taking non-interstate where you can, but that definitely makes for several days vs. 2 or 3 via interstates.
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I 100% agree with you about I-81 getting progressively worse over the years. Unfortunately you can say that about most of the other Interstates as well.
 
Sorry if a bit off topic but if you look at all the new Loves, Pilots, and now Buckee's popping up on the Interstates it gives you an idea of how many more people are out there these days. There has got to be a demand if they are building them.
 
SilverSTreak said:
I've made this trip at least a dozen times - I-84 to I-81 was ALWAYS better than I-95... Having said that 81 hass gotten progressively worse over the years in terms of traffic. You don't say what you're time constraints are. Surely more enjoyable taking non-interstate where you can, but that definitely makes for several days vs. 2 or 3 via interstates.
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...I'll look at that. When I drove my Dad down to FL, we took rt17. Back in the day, my Dad was Navy and stationed in VA and NJ, so he did 17 a lot. That was an easy road. Also, does 81 end in Knoxville?
 
jacMA said:
Hi All,

Planning a trip with a fellow Honda rider from Boston to Sarasota. I've driven it in a car when taking my Dad down to Sarasota twice. Once more inland, once more coastal on rt17. Any recommendations on POI's" I plan on the Blue Ridge Parkway if it has recovered from last year. Driving, we've done the ferry from NJ to DE, done the Bay Bridge Tunnel, etc. but not sure if my traveling buddy has. In short:

- Any suggestions on stops
- Any advice on travel
- Any advice on motorcycle prep. This will be the longest trip I've done. I'm getting new tires for my ST1100, doing coolant, have done Oil, brake fluid, final drive fluid.

Thanks in advance.
Click to expand...
I from boston and moved to colorado. Everything from boston , over the gw bridge and into jersy stinks, literally. Heavy traffic. Panhandlers on int 95. I prefer heading to erie and rhen south. All of i95 is freighters. I did 6,000 in my 1100. U cant go wronxg with the bike! Had ama towing, plug kit, air pump and jump kit. I installed a usb in the left pocket and everything i had charged off that.
Ride safe! If u have a question just ask.
I may have moved, but im still a proud masshole!IMG_0124.jpegIMG_0216.jpeg
 
I'm originally from CT near NYC, so I get not going that way. That said, I really never considered not going that way, but given the past comments, I'm going to look at going West, then South to at least get down past DC, which is always a hassle.
 
jacMA said:
I'm originally from CT near NYC, so I get not going that way. That said, I really never considered not going that way, but given the past comments, I'm going to look at going West, then South to at least get down past DC, which is always a hassle.
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U can cut down thru penn in the hills. Heard thats a real nice ride! Into tenn etc. some very nice rides. In georgia, look up suches ga. Motorcycles only camping and breakfast.
 
You guys are really getting me excited to go...I had my doubts, but now really looking forward to it. Getting her ready. I do have a GIVI Top Case and other luggage. New tires should be here in a few days.

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I use campendium for camping, hotwire for motels. I look ahead 80-100 miles for a lake too. Quite often there is a state park. If they r too expensive, ask if they know where the primitive camping is.
 
I81 hits I40 just east of Knoxville. I40 east of that junction is still closed AFAIK from Helene.
I've done the I84 to I81 many times while headed up or back from the Boston area.
I've also hit the Water Gap, then the New Jersey Turnpike, 13 down through Delaware/Maryland, then crossed the Chesapeake Bay Bridge and Tunnel, wiggled across rural VA through Lynchburg to hit I81. If they've opened I26 back up, you could run it to Augusta, then cut over backroads to Macon, then hit I75 into Sarasota. It just depends on how much time you have to get there. BTW though it is a bit expensive, I always enjoy doing the Chesapeake thing - not often are you on a bridge and out of sight of land ...

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Uncle Phil said:
I81 hits I40 just east of Knoxville. I40 east of that junction is still closed AFAIK from Helene.
I've done the I84 to I81 many times while headed up or back from the Boston area.
I've also hit the Water Gap, then the New Jersey Turnpike, 13 down through Delaware/Maryland, then crossed the Chesapeake Bay Bridge and Tunnel, wiggled across rural VA through Lynchburg to hit I81. If they've opened I26 back up, you could run it to Augusta, then cut over backroads to Macon, then hit I75 into Sarasota. It just depends on how much time you have to get there. BTW though it is a bit expensive, I always enjoy doing the Chesapeake thing - not often are you on a bridge and out of sight of land ...

1736831962846.png
1736832025594.png
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...yes, did the NJ-DE Ferry, then Bridge Tunnel on my last drive. Totally thinking about doing it on a bike. Looks like I'll be riding down, leaving my bike for a month, then riding it back up after Miami F1.
 
There is a route that runs from Scranton to Stroudsburg PA 209 the truckers used to call the Ho Chi Minh trail. Good riding and banned from commercial traffic these days.
 
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